Journey to the Promised Land
"Journey to the Promised Land" is the second volume, but chronologically the fourth, of the Animated Stories from the Book of Mormon. Plot In a land called Bountiful, Nephi is writing on plates when his daughter asks him if the place they are in is the promised land. Nephi says no. His daughter says it looks like one to her, since she likes it a lot better than the desert (where she had been born, as have certain cousins, and her uncle Jacob), but Nephi, with a chuckle, says it's not where the Lord wants them to stay. He shows her a compass-like brass ball called the Liahona, and tells her its function. She asks if he made it, but he says it was the Lord's gift. He mentions that Lehi had found it outside his tent when she was just starting out before her birth. He says the Lord makes it so it works as long as they are faithful, and they gaze across the sea. In another orchard, Nephi's younger brother Jacob (who had been born in the desert with all of his nieces and nephes), is up in a tree picking little orange fruit and packing it into his sack when he overhears Lehi tell Laman and Lemuel that this isn't the promised land, much to their wrath with him. Laman has had enough of "what the Lord wants" (which Lehi brings up), and blames Lehi for his visions causing their desert-born children to never even see a city, so Laman says he should be in charge. Lehi says the Lord is in charge, and they'll be in danger of destruction until they learn it, and then leaves. Laman says they won't be the ones being destroyed, so he and Lemuel plan to kill Lehi so as to silence him so he won't convince anyone else. Jacob is shocked at this, and he falls out of the trees and spills his fruit. Fortunately, he lands on the sack of any fruit that is still in, but he runs off to tell Nephi. He asks him to fight with Laman and Lemuel, but he says no, even though he is mad. Nephi promises he will find out what the Lord wants them to do instead of fighting, and that he won't allow anything to happen to Lehi. Back in his own tent, Nephi is commanded to go up into the mountain. Nephi obeys and learns he must build a ship to cross the waters. He asks where he should go to find ore to make some tools. The Lord promises to show him all things. Nephi, with the help of his daughter, and Jacob, and eventually, Sam, starts to build the ship. For starters, Nephi makes a bellows and a fire to make some molten metal and pour them into stone molds for making tool heads. Sam takes the ax from Nephi as he is chopping wood, refusing to let him do the job alone. Nephi reveals that he has had help, but his other helpers are resting. Sam tells him to rest too, and finishes chopping the wood. As Sam and Nephi are continuing the construction, Laman and Lemuel make fun of him, believing anyone in his ship will drown, and refuses to help. They threaten to kill Nephi, but he is filled with the power of God, and rebukes them about his own faith in certain miracles. The Lord tells Nephi to stretch forth his hand to Laman and Lemuel. When he does, the Lord shocks them, and they learn that the Lord is with him. Laman tells Nephi to forgive him, and Lemuel begs him not to destroy them. Nephi instead tells them to just obey God and their parents, and to help him build the ship. So, all of the family, including Laman and Lemuel, and Zoram, continue their construction on the ship. All of the females work on the sail, including Nephi's daughter. Zoram hits his finger trying to fasten the nails with a mallet, and three times, Laman gets tired and gets relaxation treatment from his wife. In the water, Nephi, Sam, and Lehi pull the ship in, while the rest push it off the dock, and the family loads things into it. They then help to lift up the sail. Nephi tells Jacob to get aboard, or he'll be left behind, so he does, dropping an armful of coconuts. Sariah laments that it is hard to leave such a good land, but Lehi assures him they are going to a better place: the promised land. The strong wind blows the ship. Sam is in control of the tiller, and Nephi looks at the Liahona, and tells him the arrow is pointed south. As Sam moves the tiller, Nephi's daughter is thrilled by the resulting movement, but Jacob gets seasick. Lehi prays that they'll be guided in safety to the promised land. One night, Laman, Lemuel, and certain children of Ishmael dance, while Laman and Lemuel get drunk with wine. Nephi calls them out and says they will only be guided and protected by the Lord if they are righteous. Laman and Lemuel tie Nephi to a pole for "trying to rule over them." Lemuel, doing the tying on Laman's command, asks him where his power is now. Nephi rebukes them, but Laman slaps him to a bleeding point in Nephi's mouth, and hijacks charge of the ship, threatening to throw Nephi into the sea if any of them makes trouble. Sam calls Lehi for help, but Laman stops the latter, but Sam mentions the Liahona is no longer working. Laman looks. It is just spinning randomly. Lehi tells Laman to untie Nephi, but Laman refuses. Therefore, the Lord sends a storm, and the men remove the sail, as it is ripping. Down in the cabin, Nephi's daughter cries in her mother's arms, wondering if her father will die, and who will save him. This brings her mother to tears, too. So Mrs. Nephi crawls to her husband and tries to untie him, but Laman violently stops her. She begs him to untie Nephi, but Laman not only refuses, but shoves her and tells her to get below and close the hatch. Nephi tells Laman to let her go. Back in the cabin, Laman's wife, holding her sick baby, cries, asking how long the storm will last (as it has been three days since it started). Lehi says it will until Laman repents. Mrs. Laman accuses Lehi of not listening to her. Lehi warns her that because of Laman's sin, their baby will die. Jacob goes up to warn Laman and Lemuel that everyone is too sick to eat anything, and that Laman's baby is dying. Laman accuses him of lying and pushes him (with a slap) into the sea, much to Sam's grief. Sam pulls him up and comforts him, and he rebukes Laman, asking how many of them will die before he repents. Laman weeps from remorse, and he and Lemuel untie Nephi. They apologize and beg forgiveness, and that Nephi will stop the storm. Nephi prays to the Lord for the storm to stop and the waves to calm. This prayer is answered. The next day, Jacob tells Lehi and Nephi that he sees land. Everyone is excited, and they leave the ship, Lehi guiding Sariah to safety in the process, and all of the family gets to shore, and they pray to God with thanks for the safe journey to the promised land. And as commanded by the Lord, Nephi writes this story on the golden plates. Goofs *Nephi's wife and daughter are never mentioned by given name, not even in the credits, and neither is Laman's wife. *Even when talking to his own daughter, Nephi refers to Lehi as "Father." Shouldn't he have said, "Your grandfather" then?